Leptin is important for normal bone growth, maturation and turnover. Leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice display osteopenia, reduced longitudinal bone growth and impaired cancellous bone maturation. However, leptin deficiency also results in gonadal dysfunction, disrupting hormones which in turn regulate bone growth and turnover.

In order to unpick these processes, Turner et al. measured bone parameters in ob/ob mice receiving vehicle, leptin and leptin plus an oestrogen receptor antagonist. Mice in the last group did not differ in bone formation rate but had higher longitudinal bone growth rate and cancellous bone volume fraction compared with those receiving leptin alone.

The authors conclude that increased oestrogen signalling following leptin treatment is not necessary for the positive actions on bone, and may attenuate leptin-induced bone growth.

Read the full article in Journal of Endocrinology 233 357–367.